If you start to believe that you are actually being too sensitive, you will begin to silence yourself to avoid being dramatic, excuse toxic behavior in others, and ultimately believe that you are the problem. This usually means you will stay in unhealthy relationships out of self-doubt, and eventually, you will become emotionally detached or internally numb. The more this cycle continues, the easier it becomes for the narcissist to maintain control. The longer you stay in this invalidation trap, as I call it, the harder it becomes to recognize that you are not the problem—they are.
So if any of these things I have talked about today sound familiar to you, please know there’s one truth to hold onto: your emotions are not the problem; their behavior is. Sensitivity is not a weakness; it’s an inner alarm system that alerts you to mistreatment. Dismissing or minimizing it only serves to keep you trapped in an environment where abuse is normalized. The first step to breaking free is rejecting their false narrative and reclaiming your emotional clarity. Remember, you need to trust your feelings. If something feels wrong, it is wrong. Your intuition is not flawed; it is your greatest survival tool.
Refuse to engage in the gaslighting. Instead of defending your emotions, redirect the focus. Tell the narcissist that this isn’t about you being sensitive; this is about them being disrespectful. Surround yourself with people who validate and respect your emotions. Having a supportive environment helps undo the damage of repeated invalidation. Also, set boundaries and stand by them—no explanation required. Your limits deserve to be honored.
Remind yourself daily: your emotions are not an inconvenience. You are not too much. You are not overreacting. You are not responding inappropriately; you are appropriately responding to toxic behavior. When a narcissist tells you that you’re too sensitive, what they’re really saying is, “I don’t want to be held accountable for how I treat you.” So please don’t fall for it. Your emotions are not a weakness; they are a compass. The moment you start trusting them again, you take back your control.
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